Ambarish Shah, Senior Manager and Principal Scientist at MedImmune Inc., presented the final Professional Development Seminar talk hosted by the Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT) on July 28. Shah’s presentation included an overview of the Biopharmaceutical industry and offered an insider’s perspective on how MedImmune manages the process of protein drug development.

Shah stated that “success in your careers will not only depend on how well you master the scientific principles in theory but more so how you apply them innovatively,” impressing upon students the value of applying science to solving practical problems. In addition, he stressed the acquisition of “soft skills” along with science, such as people skills and networking. Shah stressed the importance of protecting one’s intellectual property, as well as the safety and efficacy of a product. Despite the risks and costs, he urged students to always remember the altruistic purpose behind their work, cautioning: “don’t get attached to projects, get attached to science.”

Due to the fact that new research in the field is presented at technical conferences or published in peer reviewed journals, scientists tend to speak in technical terms that are too complex for the general public to understand. Shah stated that the field is missing “the clarity in linking what we do scientifically in our labs to the tangible benefits the general public end user will see, and a good forum to share it in.”

Shah offered students insight in understanding career development, stating that career success comes from a combination of many good personal attributes such as clarity of communication, willingness to a make a persistent effort, teamwork, and of course an analytical problem solving mind (all of these which can be learned through deliberate practice). Most importantly he advised students that “Grades and publications matter, but just to get the first job. After the first job, the only thing that matters is demonstrated results.”

Shah received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Mercer University in 1998, a Master of Science from Duquesne University, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Bombay University in India. He has been in the field for over twelve years and is currently the Principal Scientist/Group leader for MedImmune’s Dept. of Formulation Sciences in Gaithersburg, Md.

Story by Sarah Gubara, Senior, Psychology, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

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